Article

An important basis for the successful development of rehabilitation practice and
research is a conceptually sound description of rehabilitation understood as a
health strategy based on a universally accepted conceptual model and taxonomy of
human functioning. With the approval of the International Classification of
Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by the World Health Assembly in 2001 and
the reference to the ICF in the World Health Assembly's resolution on
"Disability, including prevention, management and rehabilitation" in 2005, we can
now rely on a universally accepted conceptual model. It is thus time to initiate
the process of evolving an ICF-based conceptual description that can serve as a
basis for similar conceptual descriptions and according definitions of the
professions applying the rehabilitation strategy and of distinct scientific
fields of human functioning and rehabilitation research. In co-operation with the
Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) section of the European Union of
Medical Specialists (UEMS) and its professional practice committee, we present a
first tentative version of an ICF-based conceptual description in this paper. A
brief definition describes rehabilitation as the health strategy applied by PRM
and professionals in the health sector and across other sectors that aims to
enable people with health conditions experiencing or likely to experience
disability to achieve and maintain optimal functioning in interaction with the
environment. Readers of the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine are invited to
contribute towards achieving an internationally accepted ICF-based conceptual
description of rehabilitation by submitting commentaries to the Editor of this
journal.

Langue : ANGLAIS